Renovations Are Underway

 Hello everyone. As you may have noticed I have been taking a break during this Holiday season from my blog and social media sites. 

But I just had to take a few minutes to tell you about the renovations going on at my home. Before I tell you what we are doing let me give you a little background on our home.

We bought this home around 1993 because my husband had always wanted to live on Monterey Lake, as it is a private lake. To get onto the lake you have to live on it or know someone that does who would be willing to give you access.

My husband loves to fish and hunt and has lived on the water most of his life so I could understand his deep desire to live on here but folks...I hated this house!

It was small and dark and built as cheaply as possible. So he promised me he would add onto it and make improvements if I would agree to move.  Since I can't seem to ever tell him no when he really wants something it wasn't long before we were moving in.

The first couple of years he built on an addition that included a den and master bedroom. I couldn't believe what a wonderful job he did without any carpentry training whatsoever! He even had an acquaintance take some local cedar trees and make us some one by four planks for wainscoting and beams in the den.

Next we updated the kitchen a little because of damage from a leak in the refrigerator. While we were at it we took out part of the wall to the dining room to open it up a little more.

After that we converted one of the three original bedrooms that was located next to the new master bedroom into a bathroom. I was very happy.

Of course, if you have followed me long enough, you remember that I did a full remodel of my kitchen and eat in area summer before last. Here is a picture of my kitchen now.

If you would like to read details on how I completed my counter tops go here. How to install the back splash go here. For my post on installing snap lock ceiling tiles go here.

We just finished a screened in porch off of the den and I have been decorating it for Christmas. I will be sharing pictures with you soon.

I still don't love my home but it is getting there. I guess I'm hampered by the fact that I love Victorian homes with 14' ceilings and I'm living in one where most of the ceilings are 7 1/2'. lol

Now we have started on upgrading the dining room, guest bedroom, laundry room, and my craft room.  Here are the before pictures.

This is our dining room and was originally the living room. Every room of the original house had this dark, cheap paneling. The first thing I did was paint every room. In this room and the kitchen I applied the scalloped border you see here. I also painted the wooden light fixture.

The ceiling tiles are made of a styrofoam product and was very easy to poke holes through with your broom handle or in William's case a fishing rod! Your laughing aren't you? lol

The guest bedroom was occupied last by my son who had a camouflage decor. Notice the same ceiling tiles in this room.

This is my laundry room which is basically a hall you pass through coming in from the carport.  I have an upright freezer that was in front of the window blocking all of the light. We will be moving it next to the water heater and putting the dryer under the window and next to the washer.

Here is a view of the laundry room once the ceiling tiles were removed. I so want to raise the ceilings but the contractor said it just couldn't be done. Sigh.

Here is a corner of my craft room with the sheet rock installed. I will be putting my new, antique piece I shared on Facebook last week in here. Below is a picture of the cabinet with lots of glass fronted drawers that came from a men's store ca.1910.  My husband bought it for my birthday. I'm in the process of doing some minor repairs to it.

The base of the cabinet is finished just like the top we just set it down on the base backwards.

The guest bedroom now.

All of the ceilings will be tiled with these ornate ceiling tiles like the ones in my master bath. I love their vintage look don't you?

Every room will be sheet rocked with a wider trim around the ceiling and new trim around the windows and doors. (Anything will be better than the plastic trim that was used before. Yes plastic! Our carpenter was laughing as he ripped it down. Not funny! lol) 

I will be getting new carpet in my bedroom and the guest bedroom as it has definitely seen better days.

Luckily my bedroom and bath, the kitchen, and the den are all finished so the renovations are not causing too much trouble. We stored nearly all of the furniture in a storage building nearby. My main problem is no washer and drier.

I hope you will follow along as we remodel and I will try to share any tips I learn with you.

Here's a tip for today. Notice the sheet rock that has been put up in the guest bedroom? Instead of installing the eight foot slab of sheet rock vertically they now install them horizontally as they are more durable this way, and instead of nails use screws to attach it. 

I'm not sure I will be posting anything else before Christmas so I will wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year now. By the way there will be no "Free Graphic Wednesday" for the next two weeks while I am taking a much needed break from blogging.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

You might find this post at one of the following lovely parties:


Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday


Wednesday
Fluster's Creative Muster
Wow Us Wednesday

Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Treasure Hunt Thursday

Friday
Shabbilicious Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Frugal Friday